Timeline:

A. Give this Action Project a short title in 10 words or fewer:

Improving the Process For Retaining Quality Employees

B. Describe this Action Project's goal in 100
words or fewer:

The current human resources process will be improved as a result of the following aspects of this Action Project.
-Implement a research project to analyze the current compensation packages for all employees with other comparable educational entities, identify positions not currently receiving competitive compensation packages, and address areas which have significant deficiencies
-Develop a process (excluding employees governed by the Quality Faculty Plan) which binds professional development and employee evaluation to institutional strategic goals and continuous improvement processes
-Create a standardized orientation process for all new employees
-Improve recognition through the professional development process

C. Identify the single AQIP Category which
the Action Project will most affect or impact:

4. Valuing People

D. Describe briefly your institution's reasons for taking on this Action Project now -- why the project and its goals are high among your current priorities:

Based on the Vital Focus process, the issues addressed by this project have been identified as a major area of concern and are supported at all levels of the college.

E. List the organizational areas - -institutional departments,
programs, divisions, or units -- most affected by or involved
in this Action Project:

The Human Resources Department will be the most affected due to the nature of the processes to be analyzed and modified. However, this project will affect college employees in all departments.

F. Name and describe briefly the key organizational process(es)
that you expect this Action Project to change or improve:

Compensation
-The research of compensation packages will provide information regarding the relationship of the current compensation package with other compensation packages of comparable institutions. This will enable employees to form opinions based on fact regarding how they are compensated for the job they perform at the institution.
Professional Development and Employee Evaluation
-Improving the professional development will not only enable employees to complete their jobs or responsibilities more efficiently, but will also contribute to the continuous improvement process of the institution.
-Enhancing the employee evaluation process will allow employees to know exactly what is expected and how those expectations relate to their role on campus.
Orientation
-A standardized orientation process will allow new employees to realize we are prepared for them, have provided tools for them to do their jobs effectively, and want them to be successful.
Recognition
-The benefit of training supervisors is that they will be better equipped to provide recognition on a consistent basis. Manager/supervisor understanding of the importance of recognition and knowledge of effective methods for recognizing employees will be improved.

G. Explain the rationale for the length of time planned for this
Action Project (from kickoff to target completion):

In order to effectively and adequately address this project, the duration time is anticipated to be three years.

H. Describe how you plan to monitor how successfully your efforts
on this Action Project are progressing:

This project will be segregated into four major tasks which focus on the key organizational processes listed in item F above. Sub-committees for this project will be assigned to each of the tasks. The goal of each sub-committee will be to:
-Establish milestones for their task
-Commit resources to each milestone
-Complete the milestones
-Evaluate the success of each milestone completed.

I. Describe the overall "outcome" measures or indicators that
will tell you whether this Action Project has been a success or
failure in achieving its goals:

Based upon the following outcomes, IWCC employee retention rates are expected to be comparable to peer institution retention rates.
-Complete research of compensation packages and forward the results to all employees.
-Improve the professional development and employee evaluation processes.
-Create a standardized orientation process for all new employees.
-Improve the recognition process and implement training for supervisors on effective recognition methods.

J. Other information (e.g., publicity, sponsor or champion, etc.):

K. Project Leader and contact person :

Last Action Project Update:

A. Describe the past year's accomplishments and the current status
of this Action Project.

The Valuing People action project have been busy the past year and completed some significant milestones. The team met monthly and focused on the following project outcomes.
1. Complete research of compensation packages and forward results to employees:
After much discussion, review, and several attempts this outcome was determined to be too ambitious to be feasible for this Action Team. The team encountered the following barriers:
• Job titles and responsibilities vary widely from institution to institution
• State funding allocations vary from state-to state
• Institutions are not the same type entities, i.e., stand-alone versus part of a university system
• Identifying a comparable institution is challenging given variables like location, economic status and FTE
2. Improve the professional development and employee evaluation processes:
This outcome was completed by the Team jointly with Human Resources. New evaluation forms were created for Professional Support and Classified Staff. The forms were approved by the Quality Council and Cabinet.(senior leadership) During employee evaluations in 2008 employees were introduced to the new evaluations that will be used to evaluate their performance in the coming year. Supervisors will be trained on administering the evaluations for maximum benefit.
A new Action Team was launched in the fall 2008 to address professional development processes.
3. Create a standardized orientation process for all new employees:
This outcome was completed in spring 2007 and revised in spring 2008. A flow chart was developed starting when a new employee is offered a position and the first date of employment is set through the ninety day probationary period. An Orientation Checklist was developed and is distributed to every new employee through the Human Resources Department. The supervisor of the new employee is responsible for completing the checklist prior to the ninety day evaluation.
4. Improve the recognition process and educate on effective recognition methods:
The Team completed two campus-wide online surveys concerning employee recognition and the results indicated a process for effective recognition is desired. The Team has determined this outcome should be assigned to a PIT. (A Program Improvement Team is a scaled down version of an Action Team. A Pit Team is few in number, narrow in focus, with a bias for action.) The PIT Team will take this charge and report progress to the Quality Council.

C. Describe your planned next steps for this Action Project.

This team will propose retirement to the Quality Council. After several months (nearly two years) of work on this project it was determined by the active team members that the initial goals and outcomes were much too broad in scope. The tasks proved overwhelming and the team has completed the work they could. The remaining active outcomes will be passed on to an Action and PIT Team. These teams, with new team members, will bring renewed energy and increase the opportunity for success.

D. Describe any "effective practice(s)" that resulted from your
work on this Action Project.

Creating the surveys proved to be very successful. Administering them online was an efficient as well as a confidential way to gather data.

E. What challenges, if any, are you still facing in regards to
this Action Project?

The most significant challenge faced was the controversy and internal consequences regarding the outcome relating to the compensation research. Two significant points of unrest exist with this outcome:
1. How to complete the survey and present the results without any real or perceived biases.
2. The determination of what to do with the results once they are gathered. If the survey indicates compensation is lower at IWCC than at other institutions then what can be done and if compensation is higher at IWCC what can be done? This outcome has generated some authentic concern and frustration from team members and administration of the organization.
In addition, team meeting attendance and energy diminished in the past eight months. The remaining members have discussed this at length and have determined that the main cause was the original outcomes. So many outcomes with such a broad scope made success difficult if not impossible. This has been shared with the Quality Council and future teams have been advised to keep their scope narrower and more focused. This is part of the continual improvement process.

F. If you would like to discuss the possibility of AQIP providing
you help to stimulate progress on this action project, explain
your need(s) here and tell us who to contact and when?